The present invention relates generally to a security enclosure or structure for an amusement device such as an electronic game, and more particularly to improvements which contribute to providing such a structure, that while easily assembled, is not conversely easily disassembled, all as is more particularly described and explained herein.
As is already well known, being exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,499, vandalism of a so-called pin ball or other amusement game of the kind typically used by teenagers can be, and for good business reasons should be, minimized by having the game enclosed within a structure permitting only such access thereto as is necessary to "play" the game. The alternative is to restrict the game to a location where its use can be effectively supervised. Thus known game-enclosing shelters embody assembly or construction techniques which provide maximum security, such as the welding or riveting of component parts, the avoidance of doors or panels which selectively provide access openings into the interior thereof, and other such practices. These known shelters, however, being welded into three-dimensional or standing structures at their site of manufacture, are often too excessive in bulk and size for shipping and transportation. Also, once fixed in position, the enclosed game cannot readily be changed, and thus if the play value thereof has been diminished by the frequency of play, there is no practical solution except to dismantle the enclosing structure.
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shelter for an electronic game, specifically of the type which frequently should be changed to maintain an optimum high level of play value, overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a protective shelter with a key-operated door mounted in a large-sized access opening into the interior thereof for changing of the game, which, by virtue of said opening is nevertheless not vulnerable to vandalizing of the game therein. Moreover, the inventive shelter is adapted to be shipped in a disassembled condition, for ready assembly at the site of use, and after which, is not conversely readily disassembled, all as will be subsequently explained in detail.
A game-enclosing structure of the type intended to provide an internal operative area for maintaining a game in an optimum condition protected against vandalism, and demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention, includes a front panel, rear panel, roof, and opposite side panels interconnected into a unitary structure bounding said internal operative area. The front panel is made with a front rectangular-shaped door opening sized to mount two doors in adjacent position therein, in further connection with which there is provided a pair of hinges, each sized to extend the long dimension of the door opening and each operatively oriented vertically in attached relation to each of the opposite sides of said door opening so as to hingedly mount a cooperating pair of doors therein that cannot be readily unhinged because of the length of the hinge pins.
To prevent access to the interior or internal area by by-passing the lock on the doors, the shelter is constructed with novel corner configurations which provide internal positions to the connecting bolt means for the components (e.g. front, side, rear and roof panels). Referring to the front panel, by way of illustration, two such corner configurations are provided at each of the two corners of said front panel, each consisting of a first section extending from the hinge in the plane of the front panel to a second section extending in a perpendicular relation therefrom, so as to subtend a 90 degree angle at each said corner. An assembly flange is provided on each said second section projecting inwardly into said internal operative area of said structure. In like fashion, two identical corner configurations are provided at each of the two corners of said rear panel, and also along the tops of the front and rear panels. As a consequence of the configurations, and more particularly of the assembly flanges thereof, whereby in the assembly of the structure the aforementioned assembly flanges of said front, rear and side panels are adapted to be placed in adjacent relation to each other and thereby have an internal operative location within said structure, and bolt means and the like are operative to interconnect said assembly flanges to each other to thereby correspondingly interconnect said front, rear and side panels into said unitary structure while minimizing such access bolt means as might result in the unauthorized disassembly of the structure.